Efficient Quantum Digital Signatures over Long Distances with Likely Bit Strings

Quantum digital signatures (QDSs) can provide information-theoretic security of messages against forgery and repudiation. Compared with previous QDS protocols that focus on signing one-bit messages, hash function-based QDS protocols can save quantum resources and are able to sign messages of arbitrary length. Using the idea of likely bit strings, we propose an efficient QDS protocol with hash functions over long distances. Our method of likely bit strings can be applied to any quantum key distribution-based QDS protocol to significantly improve the signature rate and dramatically increase the secure signature distance of QDS protocols. In order to save computing resources, we propose an improved method where Alice participates in the verification process of Bob and Charlie. This eliminates the computational complexity relating to the huge number of all likely strings. We demonstrate the advantages of our method and our improved method with the example of sending-or-not-sending QDS. Under typical parameters, both our method and our improved method can improve the signature rate by more than 100 times and increase the signature distance by about 150 km compared with hash function-based QDS protocols without likely bit strings.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure

Efficacy of Ultrasound-guided Radiofrequency Ablation of Parathyroid Hyperplasia: Single Session vs. Two-Session for Effect on Hypocalcemia

To evaluate safety and efficacy of one- vs. two-session radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of parathyroid hyperplasia for patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) and to compare the outcome of both methods on hypocalcemia. Patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism underwent ultrasound guided RFA of parathyroid hyperplasia. Patients were alternately assigned to either group 1 (n = 28) with RFA of all 4 glands in one session or group 2 (n = 28) with RFA of 2 glands in a first session and other 2 glands in a second session. Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) values were measured at a series of time points after RFA. RFA parameters, including operation duration and ablation time and hospitalization length and cost, were compared between the two groups. Mean PTH decreased in group 1 from 1865.18 ± 828.93 pg/ml to 145.72 ± 119.27 pg/ml at 1 day after RFA and in group 2 from 2256.64 ± 1021.72 pg/ml to 1388.13 ± 890.15 pg/ml at 1 day after first RFA and to 137.26 ± 107.12 pg/ml at 1 day after second RFA. Group 1\u27s calcium level decreased to 1.79 ± 0.31 mmol/L at day 1 after RFA and group 2 decreased to 1.89 ± 0.26 mmol/L at day 1 after second session RFA (P \u3c 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that hypocalcemia was related to serum ALP. Patients with ALP ≥ 566 U/L had lower calcium compared to patients with ALP \u3c 566 U/L up to a month after RFA (P \u3c 0.05). Group 1\u27s RFA time and hospitalization were shorter and had lower cost compared with Group 2. US-guided RFA of parathyroid hyperplasia is a safe and effective method for treating secondary hyperparathyroidism. Single-session RFA was more cost-effective and resulted in a shorter hospital stay compared to two sessions. However, patients with two-session RFA had less hypocalcemia, especially those with high ALP

Identification and analysis of the germin-like gene family in soybean

In line 12 of page 1, replace "GmGER 9" with "GmGER 15"

Comparative study of 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT and 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging for the detection of bone metastases in prostate cancer

PurposeThis study aimed to compare the diagnostic efficiency of 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging and 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging for the detection of bone metastases in prostate cancer.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on 31 patients with confirmed prostate cancer between September 2020 and September 2022 at China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University. All patients underwent 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT and 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging. The gold standard was the pathology or Best Valuable Comparator (BVC) result based on clinical follow-up. Diagnostic performance indicators, including sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV), were analyzed at both the patient and lesion levels. The paired sample chi-square test was used to compare the two imaging methods. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated for each method. The AUC values were compared using the Z-test, and a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsOf the 31 prostate cancer patients, 18 were diagnosed with bone metastases, with a total of 84 bone metastatic lesions. At the patient level, 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging showed superior diagnostic performance compared to 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging in all indicators: sensitivity (100% vs. 77.8%, p < 0.01), specificity (92.3% vs. 69.2%, p < 0.05), accuracy (96.8% vs. 74.2%, p < 0.01), PPV (94.7% vs. 77.8%, p < 0.01), and NPV (100% vs. 69.2%, p < 0.01). The AUC values for 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging and 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging were 0.962 and 0.735 (Z = 2.168, p < 0.05). At the lesion level, 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging showed superior diagnostic performance compared to 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging in all indicators: sensitivity (97.6% vs. 72.6%, p < 0.01), specificity (95.7% vs. 73.9%, p < 0.01), accuracy (97.2% vs. 72.9%, p < 0.01), PPV (98.8% vs. 91.0%, p < 0.01), and NPV (91.7% vs. 42.5%, p < 0.01). The AUC values for 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging and 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging were 0.966 and 0.733 (Z = 3.541, p < 0.001).ConclusionCompared with 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT bone imaging, 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging demonstrated higher diagnostic efficiency for bone metastases in prostate cancer, and it can more accurately determine the presence of bone metastases. It is an important supplement to imaging examination for prostate cancer patients and has great potential and broad application prospects